Beauty and the Beast
by DamagedSpoon
Summary: Thor and Jane's wedding day is ruined by a Sleeping Curse. Thor leaves on a quest to find the cure, and Loki tries to cure Jane in Asgard. A mixture of fairy tales. Loki/Jane Thor/?
1. Genesis

This is my first FF about Loki and Jane (spoilers, yeah?), but I've recently become quite obsessed with the pairing. Honestly, I am a little in love with the anti-hero, and I think that Loki falls into that category (at least, in my head, he does…). I also love Spike (BtVS), Zuko (AtLA), and Draco (HP). It's a problem at this point… kinda… not really…

It's a work in progress, and I really suck because I have this dreadful little habit of going back and changing things around every now and then. Yeah, I know, shame on me, but I have no Betas, so I am my own Beta for now. :)

Well, enjoy, and let me know what you think. Rating is, at the moment, for caution.

*Insert Standard Disclaimer About How Poor I Am, No Theft Intended, Blah, Blah, Blah.*

* * *

_"People have to really suffer before they can risk doing what they really love."_  
**\- Chuck Palahniuk**

**Chapter 1**

The palace of Asgard was awash in flowers, frills, and the sound of laughter. Hues of creme and lilac adorned every column and window in the form of sashes and petals. The palace staff bustled noisily through the halls, winding between guests as best they could to get to their destinations, and the visitors sauntered along, cooing at the decor and chattering excitedly. It took every strength Loki possessed not do something that would spoil the splendor of the day. He'd woken up that morning to the overwhelming stench of flowers invading his senses, and ever since, he had been unable to escape the noxious odors. He'd taken to holding his breath for extended periods of time, but that had only caused him to become light-headed.

He suspected that ruining his brother's wedding day would be the best way to be banished once again, and that wouldn't be beneficial to him at the moment, so he stalked through the palace halls, searching desperately for an area where Frigga had not demanded for there to be decorations placed. After well over an hour of prowling, he finally decided that no room was free from Frigga's villainy.

_And they call _me_ the God of Evil._

He was preparing to leave the confines of the palace for the fresh air of the grounds when the fiend herself made her appearance.

"Loki. I have been looking everywhere for you," Frigga said, strolling briskly to his side. "I expected that you would still be in your chambers."

Loki pasted a grin upon his face as she held her hand out to him.

"I awoke to the aroma of your lovely decorations and found that I could not bear to lie about for another moment."

Frigga stared at him for a long moment, and he fought the urge to fidget under her gaze, choosing instead to kiss her hand in completion of the greeting.

"I am glad that you appreciate my work," she said finally, "though I do think it is time for you to be preparing yourself for tonight."

Loki nodded curtly and bowed before turning and striding off toward his chambers, leaving Frigga to watch him in his wake.

#####

Loki did his best not to glower through the ceremony. As a member of the royal family, Loki had no choice but to be present throughout the entire ceremony. He struggled not to yawn and tap his fingers impatiently against his leg through the wedding procession, complete with small, sauntering children dressed in a dreadful paisley color.

Thor certainly appeared the gallant prince in his white finery. Mjölnir gleamed at his hip, and his hair was no less lustrous, freshly washed and coiffed. Thor's hands were clasped behind his back, he was the picture of refinement and perfection.

Loki sneered, and his thoughts turned to the future as the procession dragged on beside him. He was the Trickster; the thought that he could "reform" was a joke. He was not, could not be, Thor. Mischief and deceit were in his nature, not thunder and righteousness. The Allfather surely would not ask Hel to stop being the Goddess of Death, so it made no sense to demand Loki to stop being the God of Mischief, under the threat of yet another banishment. His mouth thinned as he thought about it, and repressed rage began swirling in the pit of his stomach as the AllFather began the introductions. Odin's words were a dull humming on the edges of Loki's consciousness as Loki tried to contain his irritation.

"The bride and groom have prepared their own vows for each other."

Loki's eyes lit up, and his tension melted away in preparation for Thor to stumble over his words. He caught a glimpse of Jane, her face obscured by the frame of her veil. Next to Thor, she looked almost Elfin in stature. Loki was certain she looked the epitome of the blushing bride, the picture of perfection next to her white knight. She would make a decent addition to Asgard, though he still couldn't decide yet what she would be the Goddess of.

_This is most certainly her doing. The oaf has no love for words._

Thor pulled a piece of crumpled paper from his breast coat pocket and smoothed it out between his oafish hands.

"Jane-"

The doors to the Great Hall slammed open from a gale of wind. Every head turned to discover the source of the disturbance.

The woman in the doorway was captivating by the essence of her being. Her hair was as black as night itself, and the tendrils flew around her in wild abandon. Even from his poor vantage point, Loki could see that she was tragically beautiful, and he could feel the power and, to his surprise, hatred rolling off of her. He felt his own magic pulse and dance with thrill in response. Her most striking feature, however, was the wide spans of black feathered wings spread out behind her, as if providing a backdrop of midnight despite the relatively early hour of the day.

Her eyes surveyed her surroundings in cool calculation as she made her way into the room with the graceful power of a panther on the prowl, tucking the massive wings around her like a cloak. Her gaze came to rest on the trio situated above the rest. As she came closer, Loki saw that her eyes were the same deep black of her hair and wings. They seemed to shine with an inner light, as though reflecting the stars. His magic crept out unbidden, testing and tasting her own cautiously. His eyes widened.

_Nemesis..._

He watched as the goddess Nemesis stopped before reaching the steps up to the AllFather, Thor, and Jane.

"Odin! Thor," she said, a sardonic smile gracing her plump lips, "how wonderful that you should see fit to invite me to this joyous occasion."

Loki could taste the sarcasm dripping from her lips.

"You know we intended no disrespect, Olympian."

Thor took a step forward, attempting to place Jane behind his bulky frame. She maneuvered herself to the side and continued to watch the Greek Goddess. Thor made a noise of displeasure in the base of his throat, but his gaze remained locked on Nemesis. Nemesis' smile grew frigid.

"Your intent here means nothing to me, Thor Odinson," she spat.

Thor's brow furrowed. "Then what is the meaning of this interruption?"

"I have come bearing a gift for your blushing bride-to-be," Nemesis said, her smile returning as she locked eyes with Jane.

"What would that be, Olympian?" Thor crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.

Nemesis sneered. Loki held his breath; his bother was courting disaster.

"Jane Foster wishes to rise above herself and become a God. Jane Foster has succumb to hubris and does not understand her place."

"Hold your tongue, Olympian. You overstep yourself." Thor took another step toward Nemesis, hand reaching for Mjölnir, before freezing mid-stride.

"No, my old friend, you overstep yourself. You are the God of Thunder. It is not in your nature to question or analyze. Knowledge of these matters is my responsibility, and your slights against me shall not be forgotten."

Nemesis stepped ever closer and stared at Jane.

"Jane Foster, l grant you this gift: the gift of slumber, from which only one can wake you. Your trials will be great, Jane Foster. You would do well to keep your eyes open."

Nemesis' gaze returned to Thor.

"Thor Odinson, hopeful bridegroom, you have learned little humility in your time in Midgard. You will learn the agony of futility, as I have. You will search far for the cure to this curse. Your travels will seem never-ending. The answer is sometimes in the most unexpected of places."

Her wings extended suddenly and a great staff appeared in her hands. Loki was struck by the image. She looked like the Angel of Death; a vengeful, jealous Siren in the throes of passion.

"So it shall be."

Her voice boomed with power at she slammed the staff down. Deep purple waves of magic crackled along the ground swiftly, enveloping the room in blinding light. The last thing Loki saw before his sight was stolen were the depths of Nemesis' eyes staring at him.

When he regained his wits, the first thing he saw was the crumpled form of Jane Foster, lost in the tufts of silk and lace she'd been so carefully dressed in, surrounded by the members of his pseudo-family.

Nemesis was gone.

* * *

I'm sorry if you've read all of this before, but I was looking back through and noticed how pitifully short my chapters were for no apparent reason, so I'm going back and trying to catch all of my midnight coffee typos. :)

R&amp;R!


	2. Futility

So, those revisions I mentioned? Yeah, here they are. I suck. I know. :( I condensed a bunch of stuff. Sorry? Remember to review?

* * *

_Previously:_

_When he regained his sight, the first thing he saw was the crumpled form of Jane Foster, lost in the tufts of silk and lace she'd been so carefully dressed in, surrounded by the members of his pseudo-family._

_Nemesis was gone._

* * *

_"Your birth is a mistake you'll spend your whole life trying to correct."_  
**\- Chuck Palahniuk**

**Chapter 2**

Nemesis was nothing if not a woman of her word. Jane remained in her slumber, undisturbed by the chaos around her. The guests were ushered quickly from the palace grounds as Thor remained at her side. Loki stood uncomfortably at the edge of the room, watching as Thor shook Jane's body.

"Wake up," Thor said, repeating it in time with his jostling of Jane's body.

Frigga made her way to Thor and rested a hand on his shoulder, gazing down at the pair, and as though a dam were breaking, Thor crumpled. No sound issued from the now hulking mass of silk finery, but Loki could see the fabric heaving in obvious sobs.

_Leave it to Thor to portray perfect abject sorrow._

"Thor," Frigga said, "we must move her. She cannot remain here."

The rustling fabric's movements slowed, and the hulking mass rose, lifting Jane's petite frame with it in a mockery of bridal irony, while possibly lost on the three other conscious occupants of the room, was not lost on Loki. He smiled, turned on his heel, and disappeared flash of green light.

#####

"Why have you not been by to visit her, Brother?"

"I am not," Loki said, gnashing his teeth together.

"You are. That is not the point, though. She is now your family. You have not visited her." "It is the point. I am not your brother, so she is not my family."

Thor slammed his fist down on the fine wood of the sitting room's table. "By all the Gods, Loki. This is not one of your games!"

"No one said it was." Loki pulled out his dagger and began picking dirt from his fingernails.

"This is my wife's life! I am to go searching for her cure!"

Loki looked up at Thor. He looked like a crazed bull, veins throbbing and muscles taught.

"Am I to take it that I am to go along with you?"

It remained unsaid, but the words hung in the air between them. As your sidekick.

Thor sighed, dropping his head. "No."

Loki shrugged and resumed picking at his nails. "She's not, you realize?"

Thor's head snapped up.

"What?"

"Not your wife. Nemesis has impeccable timing, showing up before you could say your vows before the AllFather." Loki raised his eyes to gaze at Thor, watching the realization dawning in his eyes.

"Brother," Thor said, "I need you to help me."

Loki lowered his gaze, flicking the dagger point underneath his thumbnail.

"Loki, you are my brother. I care naught for genetics or technicalities. The science of it is uninteresting to me, and I don't see how it matters more than the centuries we have been at each other's sides. You are mad at our parents for concealing the truth, perhaps rightfully so, but do not aim your ire at me, Brother. I have concealed nothing from you."

Thor waited several long moments after his impassioned speech for Loki to respond before setting his mouth in a frown and turning for the door.

It was very seldom that someone could tongue-tie the so-called Silver-Tongued God, and it was Thor of all people who accomplished it. Loki wondered at the obvious effect Jane was having on him; Thor had never before been so effective with his words. If that were not enough, the words also rang with the simple honesty that Loki had come to grudgingly respect from Thor, and he found it difficult to choke out the many hateful snipes that were running through his head.

"What would you have me do?"

Thor paused with his hand around the doorknob and turned back to look at Loki.

"I am leaving with Syf on the morrow. We are endeavoring to find the cure, and will not return till Jane wakes. While we are gone, someone needs to protect Jane. I wish for you to do that, and to try to use your magics to wake her, in case I cannot."

Loki nodded his assent. "I can do that."

#####

Thor was as good as his word, as always.

Loki steadfastly avoided visiting Jane. Instead, he spent his time in the library, searching through tomes on magical ailments and their cures. Each morning he would pick up where he'd left off, and each night found him on the floor with piles of discarded books stacked around him like a make-shift fort. After two weeks into his search, he was running out of books and becoming more and more frustrated.

"More useless garbage," he said, slamming another book shut and flinging it haphazardly away. He winced when it traveled further than he'd intended and struck the side of a book case.

"Having trouble?"

Loki stiffened and looked up at his mother. He never understood how she was the only person who managed to sneak up on him.

"No."

Frigga smiled. "That's not how it appears to me."

Not surprising.

"I cannot find anything in these books. I'm running out of resources," he admitted softly.

Frigga's smile never faltered. "Perhaps you are looking too hard in the wrong places."

Loki frowned, turning his head to look back at the fortress of books he'd built. Perhaps he was looking in the wrong places. He wished he could remember the exact wording Nemesis used in her monologue. There had to have been a clue there. Nemesis rarely cast a curse with no way for the one cursed to be freed; generally, there was some lesson to be learned or Fate to be discovered. His mind sifted through possibilities and memories of the moments before Jane's collapse as he tried to find the missing variable.

He didn't notice Frigga leave.

#####

Jane smiled at Frigga as her gown was straightened again, a handmaiden running her hands smartly over the fabric to create exact creases. The queen exuded a grace and confidence that the scientist was unsure that she would ever gain for herself. She'd been prepared for a life filled with science, not crowns, gowns, and feasts.

"There is no reason to fret, my dear."

_Easy for you to say._

"It's what I've always done," Jane said, "I'm afraid there's no changing it now."

Jane turned to face the mirror, staring into it to see the strange version of herself that the Asgardians had created. She was greeting with an image of perfection, and her fingers twitched. Not a hair on her head was out of place. She searched the image for a sign of disorder - a blemish on her face, a bead not perfectly spaced along her gown, anything, really, to remind her that she was still human. A movement behind her caught her attention, and she locked eyes with Frigga.

"Sometimes," the AllMother said, green eyes shining, "when we are searching for something we want, we are rewarded with what we actually needed."

Jane frowned. "I have everything I need."

A servant arrived, announcing the completion of Jane's tiara and veil, and Frigga followed him out of the room, eyes still dancing with mischief.

Jane frowned and turned back to the mirror, and her gaze rested on her left hand. The sapphires twinkled in the light. Jane's eyes widened. She spun toward the door.

_Frigga's eyes..._

#####

_...are the most curious shade of blue._

Loki stared placidly at his mother, studying the way her eyes seemed to glow and shimmer with their own source of luminescence. They were so similar in color to Thor's, but every now and then something would _shift_ and they would be so drastically different.

"She still won't wake," he said.

Frigga nodded. "I know."

"It has been three months."

"I know that, as well."

Loki fought back the urge to stomp his foot at her in response.

"You have the Gift, Mother."

"What would make you believe something like that?"

"You haven't denied it."

She smiled. "I haven't admitted it."

Loki clasped his hands behind his back and stared up at the ceiling. It was quite a masterpiece in its own right, no doubt commissioned for this exact purpose. Frigga had the Sight, but she also had the wisdom that came with it. The wisdom that knew that beings should not know their Fate, as a general rule.

_This is not a general situation._

The true purpose for the soothing cherubs in lilac and powder blue was that everyone who sought Frigga's insight believed their situation to be different. Frigga, however, was a Valkyrie, and had gained ever more patience as the AllMother. He'd known this visit would be fruitless. He could feel the bags under his eyes, the dull strands of his hair on his face. He was constantly trying to keep his fingers from shaking with exhaustion.

"I promised Thor, Mother. We must wake her."

"And you will, my son."

Loki locked eyes with her for a moment, again lost in the swirling patterns of the sapphire glow, before turning on his heel and storming away.

_I should have known better..._

#####

_...than to come here._

The horizon fascinated Jane, especially when the sky met the ocean. The way that it was infinite, stretching far beyond what she was capable of seeing or conceiving of, simultaneously humbled and excited her. There was nothing on Asgard as beautiful as the sights on Midgard, but she made due with the sight of the rivers rushing off of the edge, their waters sparkling in the light as it gained momentum nearing the edge of the world.

"You know," Thor's voice boomed behind her, "it is much more beautiful up close."

Jane nodded. It must be amazing to see the point where the waters of Asgard disappeared into nothingness. Her feet carried her along the banks of the river. Her eyes drank in the calm, tragic sight of the Asgardian horizon, quiet and devoid of life. A shiver traveled up her spine, leaving awareness in its wake. She peered over the edge into the cosmos, and the spans of oblivion rushed up to greet her. It beckoned her, shining in a peculiar shade of swirling green that she felt was terribly familiar.

Jane took a deep breath...

* * *

To address the Loki/Odin - Family problem somewhat, I see no reason for Loki to continue hating Thor over a situation that occurred while they were both children, so I wanted to clear that up early. Anger and betrayal over Odin and Frigga's decision, sure, and general awkwardness with Thor, sure, but not hatred toward Thor.

Jane's portions are dream-states, obviously(?). We're also skipping over relatively decent pieces of time. The amount of time that elapses _really_ isn't _that _important, cause if she wakes up "Sleeping Beauty" style, the kiss still doesn't fix every problem ever or erase the fact that they barely know each other, right?

Sorry I'm playing around with the chapters, by the way. I was just looking over them and decided that I hated how little each chapter was accomplishing.

So, reviews? Anything? I love reviews. If anything seems out of place or wrong or whatever, PLEASE let me know. The only way to get better is to know where you're going wrong, right?


	3. Implosion

Well, I went through the story and pretended that I was a reader and it was someone else's story, and I realized that my chapter's were ridiculously short. I tried to convince myself that it was "economy of the word," but I failed to lie convincingly to myself. So, I edited the first four chapters, condensed them into two, and cut the last section from Chapter 4. Sorry, guys. It really ate at me until I did it.

Perhaps having a beta would help. No one is particularly interested, I suppose?

* * *

_Previously:_

_She peered over the edge into the cosmos, and the spans of oblivion rushed up to greet her. It beckoned her, shining in a peculiar shade of swirling green that she felt was terribly familiar._

_Jane took a deep breath..._

* * *

_"No matter how careful you are, there's going to be the sense you missed something, the collapsed feeling under your skin that you didn't experience it all. There's that fallen heart feeling that you rushed right through the moments where you should've been paying attention._  
_Well, get used to that feeling. That's how your whole life will feel some day._  
_This is all practice."_  
**\- Chuck Palahniuk**

...Loki let himself go.

"Tell me," he demanded furiously, tearing at his hair. He wasn't entirely certain if he was frustrated or anguished.

_Perhaps this is perfect agony._

Odin and Frigga stared down at him from their thrones, concern etched on their faces at the sight of him. He wasn't surprised. He'd remained unseen for weeks, holed up in his rooms with every scrap of literature on magic he could grasp, pouring over the words and casting innumerable spells in the attempt to wake her. He'd broken down and started visiting Jane in the evenings, when the staff left for meals and sleep, staring down at her face and watching her steady breathing.

He could feel the madness looming ever closer; the darkness on the edges of his mind creeping in, telling him just how worthless-useless-vile-monster-pitiful...

"Son-" Odin said.

"I have read everything! All of the texts, tomes, and scrolls in the library! Nothing works!"

"I told you, Prince Loki," Frigga said softly, her eyes searching his.

"No! You have told me nothing!" Loki bared his teeth, resembling a lone coyote trapped in a corner, eyes wide and mouth snarling. "Why won't she wake? Tell me!"

_Yes, this is anguish_, the still-rational portion of his brain whispered.

"You are looking in the wrong places."

He stared at her for a long moment, eyes unseeing as that rational portion of his brain attempted to process what she was saying. He closed his eyes briefly before turning on his heel and disappearing.

#####

The colors of the cosmos swirled around Jane, creating and destroying universes before her eyes. Blues and greens mixed together, forming muddled middles before gaining speed and collapsing into a black emptiness. Stars formed and gathered planets, civilizations emerged from nothing before crumbling and being engulfed by the star's death. She cried for the innumerable lives she witnessed snuffed out with each cycle; she cheered for each new life that came into being.

The swirling cosmos was at once immeasurable and finite, organic and metaphysical, benevolent and malignant.

Jane wondered why she did not feel frightened, falling unhindered through the universes; would she hit the limbs of Yggdrasil? Were its branches physical? Would her body break upon impact?

She could not bring herself to care.

There was a small green light that caught her attention, alone amongst a mass of brilliant red lights. It flickered as though it was struggling to remain separate. She empathized with the little green light. The stifling loneliness of being something different in a sea of sameness was draining, and the urge to give in was sometimes suffocating.

She watched as the light sputtered before going out completely, and she finally felt a twinge of alarm. She found herself changing directions; rather than falling down, she was falling toward the mass of red where she'd last seen that struggling green light. As she got closer, the green light reemerged, slightly brighter than before. She smiled, continuing to move forward. Reaching out, she tried to touch the little green light, but she was still too far away. She strained, gaining leverage on the mass of the universe, and the tip of her index finger caught the outer edges of the green light.

"..._I wish to see your spark... reignite mine..."_

The cosmos imploded.

#####

Loki waited until Eir was out of sight before slipping into the infirmary. Jane had remained stubbornly sleeping despite everything Loki had attempted in his quest to wake her. If she would wake, Thor would come back. Loki would be the hero; his past actions could be forgiven and his house arrest lifted. It had all been simple when he agreed to help Thor.

He shook his head wearily, slumping into the armchair his mother had demanded placed next to Jane's bed. He knew better than to underestimate Nemesis; she very seldom lied. The small sliver of hope that he'd been clinging to had blinded him to the glaringly obvious. He was the Trickster God. He'd been certain that the loop hole was there, waiting to be found.

"This is all your fault," he told her.

The candles cast awkward shadows on Jane's sleeping face. Loki watched as the planes morphed and changed into something not quite human for seconds at a time and back again. The shadows moved in tandem with Loki's own. These moments he stole, alone with Jane and his thoughts, were the few he had where the darkness of madness, ever threatening to break through the ramparts of his mind, receded, allowing his logical, calculating mind to work.

"We're more alike than you realize, you know."

He sighed and placed his face in his hand, resting his elbow on the arm of the chair. He sifted through all of the attempts he'd made to wake her over the last six months. None had so much as caused her heartbeat to quicken; she'd remained blissfully unaware of the torture she was putting him through.

"Outsiders," he said, his voice barely more than a breath. "Outlanders. Interlopers."

His gaze rose back to her form, watching the steady rise and fall of her breathing, and the candlelight's flickering fell into sync with her breath.

"Required to become something not quite different, but not quite the same."

As the words spilled from his lips, he knew that they were undeniably true; the only difference between his situation and Jane's was the illusion of control. She thought she had a choice in her transformation into an Asgardian, when really she'd just been manipulated into wanting it. Sure, she and Thor _loved_ each other - oh, how he_ loathed _that word - but that didn't require making changes to the fundamental aspects of your being. Everything that Loki knew about _love_ said that you shouldn't have to change to be with someone; the changes should occur naturally, unselfishly, not because it would be ripped from you should you refuse.

"They will not ever understand what I have come to understand - what you have come to understand. How could they? To them, this is the greatest gift they could bestow upon us lesser beings; we should be overjoyed, beyond ourselves with gratitude for this opportunity."

Should he be grateful?

Loki'd had no choice, no semblance of control, in the matter of his conversion, however incomplete, to Asgard, though he supposed that being changed was preferable to being dead. No one seemed to consider he would handle this "gift," and the knowledge of it, with anything less than joy and praise. He was grateful to not be dead, of that he was absolutely certain, but he could not be grateful for the lies, the betrayal of having his true nature hidden from him.

He realized that his feet had carried him to her bedside while he poured over his musings, and he took that moment to take in the details of her face all over again. She was not the most beautiful or exquisite creature he'd ever seen; there were more than a few Asgardian women who easily outshone her as far as looks went. He could see, in his mind's eye, how her delicate features would be enhanced by Idunn's Apples. She would be glorious then.

Loki had been cheated; the most beautiful feature she possessed had been cruelly hidden away, tucked into this shell, awaiting someone to save her from the vast reaches of her mind. It was the fire that Loki had seen in her eyes, he decided, that was the most beautiful; that spark of mischief mixed with a burning strength that set her apart. Idunn's Apple would not change that.

His fingers reached out, tracing the curve of her temple and cheek, trying to wake her with only the sheer will of his mind. It didn't work.

"I wish," he murmured, "to see your spark again. Perhaps it would bring back mine."

He sighed. He bent to place a kiss upon her cheek. His hand found purchase on the mattress; her head fell to the side. Their lips met.

Loki's eyes snapped open, wild and unfocused. Guilt flooded his mind; the madness rushed back at him, raging like an unfettered dragon. He turned on his heel and disappeared, fleeing from his mistake.

_Yet another one..._

An instant after his form faded, Jane's eyes opened.

* * *

Aha! Cliffhanger! Is it any good? Are you salivating in your hands? Haha. What do you think? R&amp;R!


	4. Quickening

Okay, so, to be completely honest, I was going to abandon this. Yes, yes, I know, shame on me. I noticed at least two other Lokane stories with the same premise, and, I admit, I got a bit discouraged. Ugh. The good news is that I decided to go back and look at the reviews, and l was a little thrown by the encouragement!

So, congratulations, everyone! You've revived a story! Now, if you can just do me a solid and revive my muse, that'd be super.

Thanks so much for the reviews!

* * *

_Previously:_

_Loki's eyes snapped open, wild and unfocused. Guilt flooded his mind; the madness rushed back at him, raging like an unfettered dragon. He turned on his heel and disappeared, fleeing from his mistake._

_Yet another one..._

_An instant after his form faded, Jane's eyes opened._

* * *

"I want out of the labels. I don't want my whole life crammed into a single word. A story. I want to find something else, unknowable, some place to be that's not on the map. A real adventure.' A spinx. A mystery. A blank. Unknown. Undefined." **\- Chuck Palahniuk**

**Chapter 4**

Jane lay in the infirmary bed for a long while, watching the shadows dance on the ceiling and wondering whether this was yet another stop in the strange sequence of dreams. She wiggled her toes. They didn't feel like dream toes, but what did dream toes really feel like, anyway? She attempted to find the answers in the shadows and flickering candlelight, but they were no more help than her toes had been.

Sighing, she sat up and looked around the large empty healing room. The only times she'd visited before, it had been bustling with healers and patients alike, and now it was abandoned and dark.

The floor wasn't cold under her feet when she left the bed. Another point in the "it's a dream" column.

She padded out into the strangely silent castle. Was there an appropriate thing to do in this situation? Should she wake someone? Should she return to the Infirmary and hope that she didn't end up in another dream? None of those choices appealed at all; she couldn't wake anyone without invading their bed chambers (_rude) _and she didn't want to go back to sleep after what she assumed was a rather extended nap.

_How long was I asleep anyway? ...maybe I slept through something terrible, and everyone left... Jeez, Jane, wild imagination, much?_

A gust of brisk night air startled her from her thoughts, and she looked out at the wide expanse of gardens that had recently been a setting in her dreams. She took in the sights and sounds of the nighttime oasis, absentmindedly trying to spot the gentle river that had so captivated her in her slumber.

_Well, perhaps I can explore for a bit. Just until everyone wakes up. I never really got to before the wedding... _

She frowned. Everyone in Asgard had watched her with a fierceness that bordered obsession, as though she was a doll that might break at any moment.

_Or a bird that might fly away..._

Jane sighed and leaned against a tree, sliding down it to sit on the ground with her arms wrapped about her middle. She should go find Thor. That would, after all, be the responsible thing to do. Find Thor, let him know that she was to longer dreaming, let him pull her into his tight, protective embrace, and they would have what Thor had proclaimed to be the "finest wedding ever to be had in all the realms."

He'd been planning their post-nuptial life, as well. As many times as she argued to the contrary, he was convinced that she wanted to "settle down" as soon as possible, producing strapping young blonde heirs for the future king of the realm eternal.

"Ugh."

She stuck her tongue out and scrunched her nose, pulling at a handful of grass. Where she'd been able to look past his insistence prior to her extended nap, she couldn't shake the looming nausea it inspired now. She would have to change his mind about this sooner rather than later.

_Yeah, that's likely to happen. _

Jane looked back over the scenic landscape, watching as Asgard's sun began it's trek into the sky, bathing the horizon in pinks and oranges. The colors twisted and changed, drawing the sun up with them.

_I want adventure and life and... freedom... _

"Lady Jane!"

#####

Loki appeared in his quarters and began pacing. They would surely never forgive him for this slight against his brother. The very fact that she would not wake had him pulling his hair out at every turn, but that could not possibly justify this obsession with her.

His scowl deepened. His pacing sped up.

_They will banish me. Again._

He sighed and shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs that covered his normally logical brain.

_Something is not right here._

Loki let his mind go blank, focusing on his breathing and his steady footsteps. After pacing the length of his quarters several times, his panic dissolved. No one could possibly know what happened with Jane, so there was no reason for him to be so concerned with slight hiccups in his "reformation." Really, it was just a trifle when compared to his long list of trespasses.

Satisfied with his decision, Loki fell into bed and the most relaxing slumber he'd had since Jane's failed wedding day.

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Yes, I know. It's pathetically short. It's just a little interim chapter to try to get my muse going and let you guys know it's not abandoned. Read and Review! And if you have any ideas or feel like something is good, bad, could be better, let me know!


	5. Doldrums

This has been almost painful to write. I have the most painful case of Writer's Block that I'm failing at powering through. I hope that a couple of relatively short updates might get my creative juices flowing. We can only hope.

Just to reiterate, I'm a broke college kid with a mountain of debt, so obviously I don't own any characters, etc.

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Previously:

_Satisfied with his decision, Loki fell into bed and the most relaxing slumber he'd had since Jane's failed wedding day._

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_"More and more, it feels like I'm doing a really bad impersonation of myself."_

_-Chuck Palahniuk_

**Chapter 5**

After being discovered on the castle grounds, Jane was promptly ushered back to her bed for all of Eir and her ladies to poke and prod in wonder over her miracle recovery.

"No, I still don't know why I've woken up," Jane muttered, covering her face with her hand and squeezing her eyes shut.

Eir continued to prod the air around Jane as though she could pull the answers she wanted from nothing, a frown marring her delicate features. Jane sighed and laid back on the bed. She'd never been fond of hospitals on Earth, and the feeling of being a lab rat in some sort of divine medical experiment was wearing on her nerves. She started to pray that they would leave her alone, but changed her mind when she realized that she was praying to god while in a room full of them. Instead, she started mentally counting to infinity, hoping she would be able to drown out the incessant interrogation she was being subjected to.

"Well, it is a shock to hear that you're awake."

One hundred and seventy.

Removing the hand from her face, she sat up and greeted Odin. She peered around him to see if Frigga or Thor had accompanied him. Eir moved swiftly away from Jane's bedside, muttering to herself about "meddling Greeks" and "nosy Asgardians."

"Frigga will be along shortly."

Jane nodded and smiled. "Good morning."

The All-Father's laugh rivaled Thor's in volume, and not for the first time Jane wondered how they had enough breath for the kind of full-bodied laugh they had.

"Yes, I would say so. Your miraculous recovery has placed everyone in frightfully good moods."

"I'm almost convinced I'm still dreaming. I even pinched myself to be sure, but that's not really conclusive..." She grimaced.

"I wouldn't consider myself to be the work of your mind," Odin said gently, patting his chest. "Completely solid."

Jane gaped at him as she realized that she had insinuated Odin was a figment of her imagination, and she struggled to find an appropriate response.

"You should be used to him by now, dearheart," Frigga's voice floated through the doorway, following by its graceful bodily counterpart.

"Good morning," she muttered, regaining a slight smile. Her fingers played with the edge of the blanket in her lap.

"It is lovely to see you. Your rest has done you a service. You look refreshed."

"I'm starting to feel tired again. When do you think I could return to my room?"

The Eternal Parents glanced at each other.

"Your rooms have not been used since the day after your collase," Frigga said.

"Wait... then where is Thor?"

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After a brief update on Thor's decision to journey abroad for her cure and multiple assurances that word would be sent post haste regarding her awakening, Frigga and Odin took their leave. Jane still longed for a quiet moment to herself, but she was satisfied that it would not be much longer before her rooms were set to right.

Idly, she wondered how Loki was fairing without Thor to act as the middle-man to the frequent fights he had with his parents. Jane had been raised by her god-father, Erik, since before her memories began, so she never really understood the true extent to Loki's frustration with his parentage. Being lied to, she understood, was a painful experience, but she'd never seen Odin's deceit anything more than necessary to keep Loki from becoming a pawn or further ostracized from Asgard's population.

There were several times she'd intended to question Frigga regarding Thor's parentage, but the woman was more observant than most, and Jane never had the chance to mention the Norse lore that she'd read on the subject. She'd debated questioning Odin on the subject, but he never allowed the conversation to stray where he did not want it to go; this meant that it rarely went beyond general niceties and the occasional teasing that Jane had yet to grow accustomed to.

She was sure that she would get the chance to bring it up soon.

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Well, there's a short update. I hope you enjoyed, at least. This has been like a four week struggle, on and off, believe it or not.


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